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The Kin Strife Wars
ata epata gladata '''are most commonly known as the '''Kin Strife '''or the '''Kin Wars, or frequently divided into the First Kin Strife '''and the '''Second Kin Strife. All the terms collectively describe a series of conflicts, including open warfare, between Eldari factions. The cause of the conflict was the lack of a mode of succession for the throne held by Sano and his untimely death. Functionally, it was a civil war between the sons and daughters of Sano and their progeny over the Potemekup, or lordship, of Eldarimo and the Eldari. The massacre at Poldacresto In 8198 E.S., Sano was marching with his army on the gate of the Dark Lord in northern Resaino. He sent his son, Dano, southwest to rendezvous with an additional arming coming north out of Mernfer. When the Dark Lord became aware of Sano's rash intentions, he poured his hordes directly over the mountains, out flanking the army. The great dragons quite literally broke the mountains open, creating the Pass of Pasen. Dano, who had come up the the southern ridge overlooking the valley, saw the entire event unfold, watching his kinsmen being slaughtered in the ungodly fury of the Dark Lord. Dano slipped away with his army into a hidden dale in the mountains, waiting until the risk of detection was reduced. It would be over a century before Dano would be able to leave the hidden valley. The succession crisis Death was not a commonly understood concept among the Eldari. Before the massacre, death was only seen in a handful of cases among the Eldari, who - while not immortal - live lives generally free from sickness, death, and aging. As it was, there were no rules governing what should happen to the office of Hapotemekup (king) upon Sano's death. Of the original 200 members of the council of elders, with whom absolute authority rested, 132 survived the war. It was their intent to appoint the next ruler but since there were no clear rule on appointing a successor, there was much faction on who should be the next king. The council could not reach a consensus on either the rule of succession nor who specifically from among Sano's children should be selected. Several of his children had put forth their candidacy: Vomo, Ga, and Glocho. Kano, the second eldest son of Sano, also put forth his claim to his father's throne - a little more aggressively, taking charge of state affairs. He also was the first the lobby for his selection to members of the council. He was not entirely out of place: his father had used his as a lieutenant and viceroy. His aptitude at affairs during the war gained him much respect. He was very popular among the Lords of Eldarimo and the Eldari people in general. He was favorite for the position of successor to Sano's rule. After a century's absence, Dano, long thought dead, returned to Eldarimo to press his claim for his father's throne. As eldest child, Dano made a strong claim to the position. However, he was not a good military leader and was unpopular next to his brother Kano. Dano pressured the council to endorse him as king. In 8209 E.S., with the council nominally behind him as a provisional candidate for the position, Dano arranged to have himself crowned as king. Dano established a law that the first-born child shall inherit the estate, title, and position of his or her parents upon their death. With so many families in need of laws to deal with ownership and lordship in the wake of the massacre, Dano's edict was executed across the land, establishing his law, and thereby his right to rule as king. Behind the scenes, he worked constantly to undermine his sibling's candidacy and pressured the council to endorse his succession laws. When it came time for his coronation (8312 E.S.), Dano revealed his true intentions. His intended provisional kingship would be unquestioned, permanent, and divinely sanctioned. Tensions among Dano's siblings and their supporters were already high; with his kingship presented as foregone conclusion, many in the crowd were enraged. A riot broke out and for the first time eldari on eldari violence took place. The First Kin Strife The first two-hundred years of the conflict were mostly aggressive debate over the question of the succession of Dano which increasingly broke out in physical violence. Finally, a Kano supporter was killed by a Dano supporter resulting in essentially blood feud which quickly expanded into outright war. Though the conflict was chiefly between Kano and Dano, other “kin” – that is family and supporters of various sons and daughters of Sano – engaged in the conflict as well. This amounted to a splintering a eldari society with each faction fighting one another, vindicating the death of their kin from previous battles. The council of elders rose above the din and were able to continue to meet without conflict. So too did the Lords of Eldarimo, making the sacred lands functionally neutral in the warfare. These groups still had their debates but since the riot at the coronation, violence within Eldarimo was punished by instant and eternal banishment from the continent. While the Lords of Eldarimo and the council were able to avoid violence during debate, it is important to note that only one party remained truly neutral in the debate: Maro, the youngest son of Sano. He drew a following of other Eldari who wished to wash themselves of the conflict, many including the most powerful magicians and learned scholars. Maro was heavily lobbied by both members of the council and his siblings for their various candidacies. It was well known that an endorsement from Maro would drastically tip the fate of the conflict in his choice sibling's favor. Yet Maro remained unmoved. Maro's neutrality made him the perfect party to help broker peace. In 10191 E.S., Kano made overtures of peace through Maro to Dano. The three brothers met in Eldarimo but it was a trap. Kano's soldiers murdered Dano's own troops and Kano killed Dano himself. Maro, who witness the ambush and assassination, was horrified by it all. His and his kin withdrew permanently from Eldari society, first as a wandering band of nomads and eventually a secluded and insular people. This marks the end of the First Kin Strife as what followed Dano's assassination was a brief period of peace. With most eldari supporting Kano's candidacy from the start, many felt the civil war was over. Yet the crime of fratricide and the violation of the ban on violence in Eldarimo would not go unpunished. The Lords of Eldarimo Kano fled Eldarimo following his assassination of his brother Dano. As there was a standing band against violence in Eldarimo, the council of elders and the Lords of Eldarimo met to discuss what to do following Kano's blatant violation. While both groups consisted a of majority supporting Kano, consensus was reached that Kano must stand for his crimes. One Lord of Eldarimo gathered a coalition force and sailed to Resaino to arrest Kano. Kano would not submit to such discipline, saying that it was a ploy to wrest his right to rule from his hand. With his army to defend him, Kano resisted arrest. While the force from Eldarimo was of greater numbers and considered far superior to Kano's troops, Kano prevailed and killed the Lord of the Eldarimo in single combat. Kano took his victory as a sign of his divine mandate to rule. He crowned himself king in 10192 E.S. in Resaino. Another coalition of the Lords of the Eldarimo would, in the following years, fail to arrest Kano as well. The council of elders saw Elno, son of Dano, crowned king in Eldarimo. Elno had little military power as the overwhelming majority supported Kano or another uncle or aunt. His primary military arm was the coalition army from Eldarimo. Yet this was limited as the scope of the military campaign was limited to bringing Kano to trail. Without military and political support, Elno effectively only ruled in Eldarimo where the council and the Lords of Eldarimo could enforce his rule. Other kins controlled local areas such as Asamo and Agraforo. Aside from the two campaigns to bring Kano to trial for his brother's slaying, this period was one of relative peace following the wars between Dano and Kano. After the second coalition force withdrew back to Eldarimo, there was little conflict to be seen over Ada. Most thought this would be the new normal, with a ununified Eldari government. Without a military to enforce his rule, Elno was limited in his action against his aunts and uncles. Elno was particularly embattled with Kano following the death of his father. Elno convinced a zealot loyal to him to assassinate Kano, his death taking place in 11694 E.S. Kano was succeeded by his son Kisho. Kisho was determined to kill Elno, his cousin, for the death of his father. He rose a force to sail on Eldarimo. This instantly brought great concern across the whole of Eldari culture. Kisho lost many in his kin to Elno at this point, Eldari who were not convinced that invading the sacred lands of Eldarimo had just cause. Moreover, the Lords of Eldarimo swiftly determined that avoiding such an invasion, even to the point of a preemptive strike, was necessary. Elno now commanded a notable force from Eldarimo and abroad. The Second Kin Strife With Elno now commanding a military force, he was able to bring the war to Kisho in Resaino. With open warfare again engulfing Ada, this begins the period often known as the Second Kin Strife. The conflict between Elno and Kisho would destabilize the non-aggression status of the rest of the Eldari kin as various factions attempted to seize advantage upon the unrest. Through this period, Elno, and later his son Bardo, would often hold the upper hand as their main holdings of land was in Eldarimo, effectively untouchable. Both Elno and Kisho fell in battles during this period, their sons, Bardo and Breko (respectfully), continuing their fathers' war. After centuries of consolidating his power, Bardo began to emerge as final victor in this civil war. Most kins began to support him, particularly as others withdrew their candidacy, either through military victory or negotiations. Breko was resolved to hold against his cousin but in the end could not justify continuing the war. Peace Negotiations and the Crowning of Bardo Peace negotiation between the surviving factions began in 13163 E.S. with a particular goal of setting aside traditional differences, such as the question of who was the rightful successor to Sano. Rather, the focus would be on how the party would be incorporated in a reunified Eldari society. After a long "independence", Breko his kin were reluctant to give back so much power. After sorting through the overwhelming amount of negotiating points, the final issue of dispute became one of pride: Breko ultimately refused to take any oath of obedience. Yet Bardo would not accept anything else: if the council of elders declared someone the rightful heir, then one must swear allegiance to that ruler. Breko refused, unless it was him and negotiations broke down in 13487 E.S. Bardo pursued Breko's remaining troops in a quick campaign in Resaino and by 13489 E.S. swift military action had forced Breko back to the negotiating table. Everything had to be renegotated but settlement was reached, even on the point of sovereignty, by 13509 E.S. The council of elders met afterward and endorsed the agreement between the remaining factions. They unanimously declared Bardo the rightful successor to Sano. They further decreed that by such action, Eldari culture had reunified. Three years after the signing of the peace treaty, Bardo was crowned King of All Eldari in a ceremony that mimicked the original crowning of Sano. The kin strifes were over and the third age had begun. Category:History Category:Eldari History